Harrow.



UNITED. STATES PATENT Orrtcn WILLIAM RICHARDS, 0F BELLBROOK, OHIO.

HARROW.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 629,27 2, dated lTuly 18, 1899. Application filed September 10, 1598. Serial 110.690.625. on model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLI M RICHARDS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bellbrook, in the countyof Greene and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Harrows, of whichthefollowing is-a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

, This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in barrows.

. The objects of my invention are to provide suitable means for connecting an ordinary harrow proper with a sulky or carriage in such a manner that the draft strains which are applied directly to said harrow proper will cause the power required to move said carriage along to act to hold the harrow in the soil, no matter what the condition of the soil or the depth the harrow may be stirring the ground, to provide suitable means for setting said har- -row proper so that it will run-shallower or deeper in the soil, as desired, and to provide means for permitting the harrows to accommodate themselves to the contour'of the land being cultivated.

My invention also relates to details of construction and arrangement hereinafter appearing, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, on which like reference-letters indicate corresponding parts, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of my improved harrow, the section being taken on the line or m of Fig. 2 and looking in the di rection of the arrow; Fig. 2, a plan View of my improved harrow complete, and Fig. 3 a detail view of the bifurcated push-rod and its connection with one of the couplings on the harrow proper.

The letter A represents an axle mounted in supporting-wheels B. To the axle is attached a pole C, to which is secureda cross-bar D by means of a; bolt E or in any other suitable manner. In order to additionally secure this cross-bar in position, I provide side rails F, connecting-bars G, and connecting-rods H, which connectthe axle an d cross-bar together, the-rods H also acting as lateral braces. These several parts constitute a rigid frame struc: ture, to'which harrows proper, I, are attached in a manner presently to appear.

Beneath the frame structure and between the ground and supporting wheels is arranged a barrow, say, of the spike-toothed pattern,

though it mayhave other kinds of teeth. Thish arrow is formed of two sections to more readily accommodate itself to the surface of the ground which is to be harrowed. These sections are connected together by means of a connecting-barJ, secured at its ends to the re- 60 spective sections by means of pull rods or links K, and also through their intersection with the carriage-frame structure above referred to.

I To this connecting-bar the draft strains are directly applied. In order to hold it from dropping upon the ground, I provide chains L, which connect it with the cross-bar D of the carriage'frame. g

' To effect the depression of the harrow proper into the ground, I provide a pair of push-rodeo, one for each section, which are T-shaped at theirupper ends, as shown at a",

and are pivotally mounted in bearings M.

This T-shapedformation gives to the pushrods great lateral rigidity. At their lower ends these push-rods are. bifurcated and are each pivotally secured to their respective couplings to give play-in a vertical direction, but are perfectly rigid in a lateral direction, thereby preventing the barrow-sections from crowding to or from each other. These couplings are composed of a shaft 5, rotatably mounted in bearings b, and a stop-arm N, fittingibetween said bifurcations, which arms have lugs'or projections O and P,respectively, 8 5 adapted to engage with said push-rods according to the position of the barrow-sections relative to a horizontal linethat is, when the 'harrow is passing over dead-furrows and uneven land the harrow-seotions may rise or fall a limited amount until one or the other of the lugs O or P engages with the push-rod. This up-and -down movement of the harrowseetions permits the barrow-teeth to remain in the ground a predetermined distance ip-,95 stead of pulling out, and thus failing to stir the ground to the depth desired. The shafts of the couplings being rotatably mounted in the bearings b, the barrow-sections may freely rockin a lateral direction, so that all the har- 10o row-teeth 0 may remain in the soil, no matter whether on uneven ground or not, either in the line of travel or in a-lateral direction.

I willnow refer to the mechanism for limiting the depth the harrow-teethare to'work :05

the side rails F, I have pivotally mounted a hand-lever Q by means of a bolt R. These hand-levers e'ach carry a hand-operated detent S, which may be engaged with and disengaged from the toothed segment T,mounted upon said side rails F. To the lower end of the lever Q is attached a chain V, which hooks over one end of a lever WV, also pivoted to the side rail F byabolt X or in any other suitable manner. A ring cl on the other end of said lever serves as a connection for three suspension-chains 6, connected to three different points on one of the harrow-sections proper. These devices suspend the harrowsections in the desired positions or depth relatively to the ground and also act to lift one or both of said sections when the machine is to be transferred from place to place orin turning, if desired. The flexible character of these suspension devices prevents them from interfering with the wabbling and uneven movements of the lower sections as they travel over the ground.

Operation: In starting the harrow in the field the lever Q is operated to lower the harrow the required or desired depth to properly stir the soil. The draft strains pull forward on the harrow proper, which causes the pushrods to operate on the carriage to cause it to travel with the harrow proper, it being of course understood that the outer end of the pole is supported by the neck yoke (not shown) carried by the draft-animals. It will thus be understood that the resistance of the sulky or carriage, determined by its weight, isutilized to press down upon the harrow proper. This wouldcause the teeth of the harrow proper to go deeper and deeper into the soil; but this tendency is governed by the suspension-chains and levermechanism, so that the resistance of the sulky to travel over the ground serves to keep the teeth of the harrow proper to this predetermined depth in the soil, according to the wishes of the operator.

A seat X is secured near the inner end of the pole for the accommodation of the oper ator, whose weight, in addition to the weight of the sulky, assists in this holding-down tendency.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a harrow,the combination with a sulky and a harrow proper, of one or more pivoted for applying the draft strains directly to said harrow proper, whereby said draft strains will be transmitted through said harrow proper to said sulky to cause the latter to travel with the former, of suspension mechanism for limiting the depth of the harrowteeth within the ground, substantially as shown and described.

3. Ina harrow,the combination with a sulky and a harrow proper, of one or more pivoted push-rods for connecting said harrow proper to said sulky, means to limit the vertical oscillation of said rod, draft appliances for applying the draft strains directly to said harrow proper, and suspension mechanism consisting of suitable chains and lever mechanism for limiting the depth of the harro w-teeth within the soil and for raising them out of the soil, substantially as shown and described. 4. In a harrow,the combination with a sulky and a harrow proper, of one or m ore push-rods pivoted at one end to said sulky and at their other end to a coupling carried by said harrow proper, means to limit the vertical oscillation of said rod, draft appliances for applying the draft strains to said harrow proper, and suspension mechanism consisting of a pair of pivoted levers connected with each other, and a set of suspension-chains connected to one of said levers and to said harrow proper, for limiting the depth of the harrow-teeth within the soil and for raising them out of the soil, substantially as shown and described.

5. In a harrow, a push device, and coupling composed of a rod and a'shaft pivoted together, the shaft having an arm adapted to form a stop to limit the relative position of sulky and said shaft pivoted on said harrow,

and means for limiting the pivotal movement at the connection of the rod with said shaft; substantially as specified.

8. In aharrow, a push and coupling device consisting of a rod and shaft pivoted together, said rod being pivoted to the frame of a sulky and said shaft pivoted on said harrow, means for limiting the pivotal movement at the connection of the rod with said shaft, and a draft device for applying the strain directly to said harrow; substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM RICHARDS.

WVitnes'ses:

G. H. LAMB, FRANK E. ROBBINS. 

